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said with his deep growling voice. "It is a good thing you dealt with that Thauran. Otherwise I would have. He is the kind, just like that cursed Red Dragon and his Sinister Alliance stirring things up too much." He looked around and leaned forward. "The Dragon keeps poking the Union like he did recently with his stunt attacking a Union Outpost and they might start listening to the Eternal Warrior and roll in giving a hoot about treaties and Freespace, and then our days will be counted," Swift said. "Well the Shiss, the Kermac and the Nul will have a word in that as well, I doubt the Union will risk a war over pirates." Crimson made a wiping gesture with his big hands. "They can't stop the Union. I tell you Red Dragon and his Sinister Alliance is bad news." Swift shrugged. "I was considering flying to Itheamh and finding out where their secret meeting place is and joining the Sinister Alliance. There are rumors they plan for something big." Crimson took one of the Lum-Lums that had just been served , but did not eat instead he said. "What use do we have for alliances? Is it not the very reason we do what we do to be free of other men's rules and laws? What good did his last big raid do him?" I shrugged and played the uninformed. "I played in another region of the Galaxy and haven't been in touch with the news lately. Did they not attack a Union outpost or something like that?" Crimson chewed with his massive jaws and gave Swift a side look from his small yellow eyes and said after he swallowed. "Aye he did, Outpost 96. Huge Pirate fleet, and a decoy fleet full of ground troops to boot, filled with every gun wielding scum he could hire on Sin 4 and Itheamh. Lightly defended he claimed it would be and yet he got his arse kicked, by a bunch of Wolfcraft fighters. He was the only one escaping with nothing in his holds but air and a hole as big as planet in his ship. If he has some personal vendetta against the Union, let him do it on his own. I rather be dead than fly with his Sinister Alliance." He grabbed another Lum-Lum and bit in it with resolve. Then he pushed the plate over and invited Swift and me to take one as well. Swift declined and sipped on a glass with a greenish thick liquid that smelled strongly of fermented fruits and said. "Maybe you are right, you're in this business longer than most." The Bassett Brother came to me and sighed, pointing at Sobody who looked as pleased as a Nubhir wolf that got the big bone, and said. "Smart move, Captain Velvet to have a Golden do business for you. If we had continued haggling I would have been lucky walking out of here with my pants still mine." Sobody also got up and came over as well. "I am going with my new friend Kooornt and make sure we get paid." I said. "You did well, I assume?" "Considering the location and the small market, yes Captain." After they left Crimson finished a sixth Lum-Lum and said. "Well I am off and go back to business and I suggest you both do the same." He leaned forward once again and lowered his voice as much as he could. "This region isn't going to be safe much longer." Swift made a surprised face. "Why are you saying this? This is still Free Space!" Crimson touched his jeweled encrusted gold encased tusk. "I have it on good authority that the Dai Lord Cam Elf-Na united over 2000 clans under his leadership into one massive mega clan. It is said he is out for revenge. Anyone guilty of dealing with Dai artifacts will feel their wraith. The Bassetts made a killing on Dai scrap, as you know. The big fight between Union and Dai happened not far from here. Cam Elf Na will need lots of raw materials for the Dai factory ships when he attacks the Union, which I am certain is his next move." Swift waved his hand. "I actually heard the same rumor on Itheamh, but the Bassetts have a defense alliance with the Togar and they aren't far from here and the Togar do keep their contracts, their queen is known for it." Crimson placed a few coins on the table and said. "I care not what you believe, but it would need more than two thirds of the Togar fleet, to defeat 2000 Dai Clans and I doubt the Queen will make such an effort to defend such an unimportant partner as the Bassetts. I think Cam Elf-Na has the power to take on almost anyone in Free Space now. No one is really safe. Not Sin 4, not Itheamh, not the Kartanians. It would take the reunification of all Oghar Kingdoms to stop him and that won't happen even if the Galaxy turns its spin; and if he moves across into Union Space he will cut a swath of destruction before the Union can stop him. In any case this area of space is soon to hot for any individual space ship." With those words the Oghar Captain left. Swift said. "I am heading for Sin 4 and two ships are safer than one, if you heading that direction Velvet, we could fly together." I nodded. "As a matter of fact, I am going that way too. So yes it might be a good idea. I am leaving within the hour as well." Chapter 2: Chapter 2 The Tavern was called the Mother Lode and had been chiseled and burned directly into the rock of the Asteroid. The floor was metal grating placed in metal frames over more rough rock, Something small skittered between the small pieces of waste and garbage that had fallen through the slots in the floor. The bar occupied much of one side of the tavern while a viewport featuring a good view of one of the Asteroid bases mooring arms covered the other side. The shabby looking Tullerman brand 25 meter Dinghy that had been part of the Mighty Nine's equipment, now moored among a dozen much bigger ship , three of them known pirate ships. One of them was the Swift Profit. The tavern was filled about to half its capacity with the roughest looking bunch of humans and non humans I had ever seen. The air was putrid not just because of the strong and alien drinks but also by body odors of unwashed and unkempt individuals of a dozen species or more. I had decided to scout the base and scope the situation before officially arriving with the disguised Tigershark. I wanted to see and feel how other Pirate captains talked and acted. For this Har Hi and I had disguised ourselves as Freespace Scavengers, a disguise suggested by Sobody. Scavengers were mostly ignored and at the bottom of the feeding order of the galactic space faring community and so we were pretty much ignored here on Brhama Port. Category:File Depository Category:Fragments Category:Fragments Book 10